By PTI

Copyright deccanchronicle

Bengaluru: A new heritage tourism policy that envisions preserving and promoting historic public buildings of Andhra Pradesh to tap their tourism potential is under active consideration, state’s tourism minister Kandula Durgesh has said. In an interview to PTI on the sidelines of a national conference on tourism here, he also said the government is working on a policy under which “tent cities” will be built for ‘Pushkarams’, which are once-in-12-year festivals held on the banks of rivers in the region like ‘Kumbh Mela’ of the north. Durgesh said the N Chandrababu Naidu government announced the new tourism policy 2024-29 last year, under which tourism activities have been accorded an industry status. “The important and salient feature of that policy is that all the incentives being given to industry will be extended to tourism also. And, we are taking up a homestay policy. We have already taken up the land allotment policy,” he said. The land allotment policy, which seeks to foster public-private-partnership and under which land parcels could be given on lease, was announced in August this year and will be implemented now, the tourism minister said. So, “first time in India”, government of Andhra Pradesh has taken up this land allotment policy, he added.Durgesh, who also holds the portfolio of culture, addressed a gathering on the concluding day of the 55th annual convention of the Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI) held from September 18-20 in Bengaluru. He encouraged people and companies to invest in Andhra Pradesh, with hotels, resorts, and other tourism activities, saying the state government is offering “big incentives”. “A very conducive environment is there in Andhra Prades, to come and invest in hospitality industry as well as other tourism activities. So, it is the best time for any investor to come to Andhra Pradesh and invest,” Durgesh told PTI on the sidelines of the conference. Asked what new plans are in the pipeline, he said, a “new heritage tourism policy” is under “active consideration which we are going to bring later this year”. “Andhra Pradesh has rich cultural heritage, and we need to conserve these built heritage structures. And, we wish to use them as heritage centres,” the minister said. He referred to the large number of government and other public buildings in his state built during the British period, or before it such as old buildings housing district collectorates, civil courts, town halls, libraries, or other such structures. “What we strongly believe is that without disturbing the original structure of a particular building, we need to conserve and preserve them as a heritage building, by strengthening it with modern technology and new amenities. That is the policy to adopt,” he added. Durgesh cited the example of an old Town Hall in Rajahmundry district that was built by noted social reformer Veeresalingam Pantulu in the late 19th century. This is said to be the “first town hall of Andhra Pradesh”. There were reports in the past 10 years that the building had suffered neglect. “We are going to make it a heritage place, we are not disturbing that one, the original structure is intact, and we are strengthening it with modern technology. It will be used as a town hall, and there is a theatre inside, his library is there, and other beautiful things inside it,” the minister said. He also referred to Erra Matti Dibbalu, red soil reserves near Visakhapatnam, which were recently added to India’s Tentative List of UNESCO heritage sites. On ‘Pushkarams’, he said the planned ‘tent policy’ is under “active consideration”. “We wish to develop tent cities all along the temple areas, especially right from Tirupati, Srisailam, Annavaram, Simhachalam and other places. So that all along the river areas, through these tent cities, lot of accommodation can be developed. So, tent policy also we are going to take up,” Durgesh said. However, facilities for such festivities will be developed keeping sustainable practices in mind, he said, adding, in 2027, Godavari Pushkaram will be there like a ‘Godavari Kumbh’, and in 2028, there will be Krishna Pushkaram. On sustainability, he further said, “we are very much focussing on conservation and preservation of our mangrove forests on one side, and tourism activities such as hospitality, wellness tourism, adventure tourism, keeping in view the Costal Regulation Zone (CRZ) also”. And, the state has a nearly 974-km coastline across its nine coastal districts, as well as a Blue Flag beach at Rushikonda. “We already have some good plan regarding beach resorts, coastal eco tourism, and other activities,” he said.